Objective vs Subjective (Philosophical Distinction)
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the presenter explores the philosophical dichotomy between objective and subjective realities. Using the classic 'tree falling in the forest' thought experiment, the discussion delves into whether a sound is produced if no one is present to hear it. Objective facts exist independently of perception, while subjective experiences are shaped by individual observers. The video prompts viewers to consider which properties are objective and which are subjective, challenging them to question the nature of truth, beauty, and reality.
Takeaways
- π The video discusses the philosophical distinction between objective and subjective realities.
- π³ The classic philosophical question 'If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?' is introduced to illustrate the objective vs. subjective debate.
- π 'Objective' refers to things that exist independently of our perception, while 'subjective' pertains to perceptions or opinions formed by observers.
- π§ The concept of a 'subject' is usually a person or an entity capable of observation and forming opinions.
- π Something is considered objective if it exists without the need for observation or perception by a subject.
- π If one believes that sound is objective, they think a tree falling in the woods makes a sound even if no one hears it.
- π€ The idea of sound being subjective suggests that it only exists if perceived by a subject, thus if unobserved, the tree's fall would be silent.
- π Some philosophers argue that the very concept of a tree or sound is a human construct, implying a high degree of subjectivity.
- π€·ββοΈ The video invites viewers to consider what properties are truly objective and which are subjective, a question that spans various philosophical domains.
- π It challenges the audience to contemplate whether facts about the world, such as beauty or truth, are objective or subjective.
Q & A
What is the main difference between objective and subjective?
-Objective refers to something that exists independently of our perception, while subjective depends on a subject's perception or opinion for its existence or properties.
What is the philosophical question used to illustrate the objective versus subjective distinction?
-The question 'If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?' is used to illustrate the distinction between objective and subjective.
What does it mean for something to be objective?
-For something to be objective means it exists or has properties regardless of any subject's opinion about it, without the need for observation or perception.
How is the concept of 'sound' related to the objective/subjective debate?
-The concept of 'sound' is related to the debate as it raises the question of whether sound is an objective reality or a subjective perception that requires a listener to exist.
What is the role of a subject in the context of the objective/subjective discussion?
-In the context of the objective/subjective discussion, a subject is typically a person or an observer whose perception or opinion influences the subjective properties of an object.
Can objective facts change based on who perceives them?
-No, objective facts cannot change based on who perceives them because they exist independently of perception.
What is an example of an objective fact mentioned in the script?
-An example of an objective fact is 'There is a chair,' which exists regardless of what people think about it.
What does the script suggest about the nature of truth in relation to objectivity?
-The script implies that truth might be considered either objective or subjective, depending on whether it is seen as independent of perception or tied to a subject's experience.
How does the script approach the idea of beauty in terms of objectivity?
-The script poses the question of whether beauty is objective or subjective, suggesting that it might be dependent on an observer's perception.
What is the invitation from the script for viewers to do?
-The script invites viewers to offer their thoughts on what properties are objective and what properties are subjective in the comments section.
What is the final call to action from the script?
-The final call to action is to watch more videos on the topic at carnegiestuff.org and to stay skeptical.
Outlines
π Objective vs. Subjective: Philosophical Distinctions
This paragraph introduces the philosophical concepts of objectivity and subjectivity. It begins with a classic philosophical question about a tree falling in a forest with no one to hear it, asking whether it makes a sound. The paragraph explains that objective facts exist independently of perception or opinion, while subjective facts depend on an observer's perception or opinion. It uses the example of a tree falling to illustrate the difference between objective reality (the tree falling regardless of observation) and subjective experience (the sound only existing if perceived by a subject). The paragraph invites viewers to consider what properties they believe are objective or subjective and encourages further exploration of these concepts.
π€ Philosophical Questions on Objectivity and Subjectivity
The second paragraph continues the discussion on objectivity and subjectivity, asking viewers to ponder whether facts about goodness, truth, and beauty are objective or subjective. It emphasizes the importance of these philosophical questions and encourages viewers to share their thoughts in the comments. The paragraph concludes by directing viewers to watch more videos on the topic and to maintain a skeptical mindset, suggesting that these questions are open to interpretation and debate.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Objective
π‘Subjective
π‘Philosophy
π‘Metaphysical
π‘Perception
π‘Observer
π‘Opinions
π‘Property
π‘Fact
π‘Distinguish
π‘Skeptical
Highlights
Introduction to the objective versus subjective distinction in philosophy.
The famous philosophical question: 'If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?'
Objective is defined as something existing independent of our perception.
Subjective is defined as something that depends on a subject for its existence or properties.
A property is objective if an object can have that property regardless of any subject's opinion.
If something making a sound is considered subjective, then it only exists if there is a subject to observe it.
Some argue that the concept of a tree or a sound is subjective and depends on our perception.
The idea that objective facts remain constant regardless of who perceives them.
The question of whether properties like sound are objective or subjective.
Discussion on the objectivity or subjectivity of facts about the world.
The role of perception in determining the objectivity or subjectivity of truths.
The distinction between objective facts about an object and subjective facts about an experience of that object.
Invitation for viewers to comment on what they think are objective and subjective properties.
The application of the objective/subjective distinction across various areas of philosophy.
The question of whether facts about good, truth, and beauty are objective or subjective.
Encouragement for viewers to watch more videos on the topic at carnegiede.org.
The importance of maintaining a skeptical viewpoint in philosophical discussions.
Transcripts
welcome back to Carnegie stuff today
we're going to be continuing with our
series dumbfounding definitions dizzying
distinctions and diabolical doctrines a
series sorting through some of the
jargon of philosophy in this video we
will be looking at objective versus
subjective compared to a lot of the
distinctions we handle this hopefully
will be a pretty simple and pretty
intuitive distinction the way that
philosophers parse this distinction is
not very different from the way that we
would intuitively or normally make this
distinction so hopefully this shouldn't
be too difficult so I have a question
for you if a tree falls in the forest
and there is no one around to hear it
does it make a sound I didn't hear
anything
well the idea behind this question is an
important concept in philosophy and it's
a very famous kind of question that you
may have heard of before you even heard
of what philosophy is I'm not going to
answer this question perfectly in this
video and there are other concerns other
than the objective subjective
distinction which come into play here
but the objective subjective distinction
can help us understand why this is a
question so first off let's look at the
word root so the words objective and
subjective are really derived from
object and subject and object is
something which is metaphysical real and
existing independent of our perception
of it that's the important part a
subject on the other hand is something
which observes usually a person or an
observer some kind something that can
form opinions there's a lot of question
of this around kind of philosophy of
mind which we're not going to delve into
right now but take basically a subject
as a person and maybe some other things
for now something is objective if it is
independent of our opinions on it it
exists without observation or a subject
perceiving it or thinking about it a
property is objective if a particular
object can have that property regardless
of any subjects opinion about that
object if you believe that
sounds our objective then you think that
a tree falling in the woods makes a
sound even if no one hears it usually we
think of things like objective facts
about the world there is a chair there
that's an objective fact it's not
dependent on what people would think of
it or at least a lot of people conceive
of things that way though some people
might conceive of truths about the world
and facts about the world as subjective
in some important way what do we mean by
subjective well if something is subject
if that means that it depends on a
subject for its existence or properties
it means that it is our perception or
opinions about that particular object
which give it particular properties if
you thought that something making a
sound was subjective that the idea of
making a sound was only something that
we as subjects invented and created and
only could be in some way to find or
exist if there was a subject to observe
it then you would claim that if no one
heard the tree falling in the woods it
would not make a sound basically what
you would be thinking there is that the
only way something can make a sound is
if there's someone to define that crash
that noise as a sound or that thing as
making that sound in fact some people
might argue that the tree as something
separate from the rest of the world
around it might not exist objectively
that it's only our subjective grouping
of certain molecules in one place and
certain molecules and another that call
that thing a tree and our grouping of
certain wavelengths in one place in
certain wavelengths in another that call
a certain thing a sound
some people might claim then that it is
subjective making a sound and therefore
if a tree falls in the woods and no one
hears it it doesn't make sound while I
may have one subjective experience and
you may have another perhaps we have
different emotions when faced with a
pretty
situation objective facts on the other
hand can't be different depending on who
perceives them the objective facts in
facts about the object the subjective
facts are facts about our experience or
subjects experience of that object if
something is objective then it cannot
depend on who is perceiving it for its
truth alright so what do you think what
properties are objective what properties
are subjective this is a question that
crosses basically all areas of
philosophy what will be the case even
without an observer and what depends on
an observer do facts about good are they
objective and a subjective what about
truth is truth something that's
objective or subjective what about facts
about beauty is that objective or is it
subjective offer your answers in the
comments below and watch this video and
more here at carne diese org and stay
skeptical about
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